Beauty

MEGAN TRIES IT

Dew Bathing

Megan O’Neill is new to goop—and the initiation process involves a pretty fantastic learning curve. Here, her adventures in onboarding, goop-style:

Is dewy skin not one of the prettiest things on the planet? To that end, the spa/wellness/health/beauty world first rediscovered actual baths, then forest bathing; now, I want to resurrect the ancient Celtic tradition of dew bathing. Starting on the first of May and all through summer, women would rise before dawn and amble through the Irish countryside, rinsing their faces in the early-morning dew to reap a variety of skin-specific benefits. Blemishes, freckles, lines, and unfortunate pallors were said to vanish to reveal a complexion that glistened like the moonlight that still lit up the sky at that early hour. (Dr. Gerard Boate described the ancient ritual in his book Natural History of Ireland). While I can’t imagine that a simple wash with dew would cure someone of say, serious breakouts (I am a sufferer), I’m sure the however-brief immersion in nature, in the midst of all that plant life, the earthy scent seeping from the forest, might have soothed nerves.

I live in Bushwick, so any dew I might find in the mornings is probably not exactly brilliant for skin. Clean face spritzes, on the other hand, are subtly infused with botanical extracts, moisturizing compounds, and even maybe some of that moment-in-nature energy.

The first one I try is Sacred Presence Mist from Essential Rose Life, a bergamot-clary sage essential oil blend that’s as luminizing as it is resuscitating. I try it in the morning when I first get up. I close my eyes, douse myself with the cooling, faintly floral-citrus scent—and I’m pretty surprised at how my skin perks up: It’s my same somewhat problematic skin with its sporadic fading dark spots, but right now, it looks pulsating with a life and an energy that belies the ungodly hour.

Essential Rose Life Sacred Presence Mistgoop, $35

Infused with orange-blossom water, bergamot, and rose otto, this facial toner not only cleanses and tones your skin, it also helps calm and lift the spirit with gorgeous, organic essential oils. Apply first thing in the morning to create a hydrating base for makeup, or mist on midday/post-work/any time you’re flagging for a dewy refresh.

I bring the Coconut Moisturizing Facial Mist from Lavett & Chin to the office. It’s supremely moisturizing, flooding my skin with hydrating coconut and honey extracts; the smell is subtle but it does feel like a moment on an island of gently swaying palm trees. It leaves my skin glowy.

Lavett & Chin Coconut Moisturizing Facial Mistgoop, $34

Seven ingredients—extracts of coconut, honey, and Bulgarian rose water among them—combine to refresh and fully moisturize skin. Use it as often as you like—under or over makeup, on a bare face, to wake yourself up or calm yourself down. It’s the ultimate skin-reviving moment of beauty (we’re keeping bottles at our desks and at home).

At night before I go out, I try Tata Harper’s Hydrating Floral Essence’s decadent infusion of lavender, rose, and willow. Its effect is to make my all-day-in-a-swivel-chair dull complexion look noticeably brighter—truly, I’m amazed. I definitely need less makeup.

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essencegoop, $68

All of Tata Harper’s products are made on her 1,200 acre farm, which is as idyllic as it sounds: This rose-infused mist is deeply hydrating but wonderfully lightweight, meaning you’ll never feel it beneath your moisturizer or makeup. (We use ours over makeup actually, particularly when we’re in need of a little mid-day pick-me-up).

I’m going full goop, so I decided to intensify the effects with a few drops of Enriching Face Oil from goop by Juice Beauty (note: no mineral oil! So no breakouts!). I pat the oil into my skin and inhale—the essence of sunflower seed oil, chamomile, and other turbocharged, skin-perfecting organic extracts is beautifully calming. I smooth it over my face, becoming even more impossibly gleamy. I mentally clock this last trick: favorite face mist + goop face oil = instant juicy skin, as if I’ve splashed it with dew or moonlight or some mystical combination of the two.

goop by Juice Beauty Enriching Face Oilgoop, $110

This nourishing, potent miracle oil sinks instantly into skin and starts to work. Made with a pure blend of organic oils, it leaves skin remarkably supple, soft, and glowing. It turbo-charges any moisturizer, but also hydrates beautifully on its own. It can even be patted on over makeup for a midday pick-me-up. The Enriching Face Oil is formulated with USDA-certified organic ingredients and contains approximately 99% total organic content.